A local doctor says there are three ways to tackle the increasing incidence of breast cancer in the Kingdom – early detection, proper medical support and more research programs. Dr. Samia Al-Amoudi, Supervisor of the Scientific Chair for Breast Cancer and Executive Director of Muhammad Hussein Al-Amoudi Center for Breast Cancer at King Abdul aziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, said these measures are needed because breast cancer is on the rise in the country. She said studies show that 70 percent of cases are discovered when the disease is at an advanced stage. Other studies predict that by the year 2025 cases will increase by 350 percent, with deaths up by 160 percent. She said KAU has adopted a three-point strategy to counter the disease. The chair was sponsored and named after Sheikh Muhammad Hussein Al-Amoudi in 2008. She said the early detection of the disease represents the cornerstone of the entire process because it increases the prospect of recovery by 98 percent. The second part of the strategy is support. She said that so far four workshops have been held for women doctors and nurses on clinical scanning for breast cancer. Al-Amoudi said the third part of the strategy is to analyze and assess the knowledge about breast cancer among female students at secondary schools and universities. This is in addition to other research on ways to detect the disease early; and also to determine what danger signs to look for in women under age 50.
